Zurich Open Repository and Archive University of Zurich Main Library Strickhofstrasse 39 CH-8057 Zurich www.zora.uzh.ch Year: 2011 Rereading the Qur’an: A muslim woman’s perspective Manea, E Abstract: ‘It is the Qur’an that we have to deal with, if we are to succeed in paving the path for a humanistic Islam. Qur’an has been treated as synonyms to God. It is as if we dared to question the nature of Qur’an, we are questioning our faith in God, and at the same time we declare our rejection of Islam itself. Qur’an in this sense is the Church of Islam. Separating this church of Islam from state’s laws and jurisprudence is imperative; not only for the future of a humanistic Islam, but also for instituting legal gender equality. Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich ZORA URL: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-57048 Journal Article Originally published at: Manea, E (2011). Rereading the Qur’an: A muslim woman’s perspective. Journal of the Dutch-Flemish Levinas Society, 2011(XVI):21-29. Levinas Society Journal of the Dutch- Proceedings of the International Memorial Flemish Levinas Society Conference in Honour of Nasr Abu Zayd: Mededelingen van de How Can a Humanistic Approach to Islam Be Levinas Studiekring Realized? April 14th and 15th, 2011, Univer- sity of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, The XVI, december 2011 Netherlands ISSN 1385-4739 Contents 1. Editorial Joachim Duyndam (University of Humanistic Studies) & Renée van Riessen (Protestant Theological University)…….….... 2 2. Introduction:– Why Nasr Abu Zayd Fascinates Me Joachim Duyndam (University of Humanistic Studies)…………………………… 3 3. Nasr Abu Zayd: A Humanistic Face of Islam Ebtehal– Younes (Cairo, Egypt)………………………………………………………………………….. 5 4. Relationships between Humanism and Islam– Abdelilah Ljamai (University of Humanistic Studies)……………………………….. 7 5. Gender Equality: Rereading the Legal Sources Mona– Zulficar (Cairo, Egypt)………………………………………………………………………... 14 6. – Elham Manea (Political Science Institute, Zürich, Switzerland)…………. 21 7. Abraham/Ibrahim:Rereading the Qur’an: The A First Muslim’s Humanist Woman and Perspective Father of Believers– – Marcel Poorthuis (Tilburg University)…………………………………. 30 8. Islam and Radical Enlightenment Gerard Wiegers (University of Amsterdam)………………………………………………………………………. 41 9. Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd and the Tradition– of Religious Human- ism P. S. van Koningsveld (Leiden University)…………………...…. 51 10. Man and his Fellow Creatures: Views of the Pure Brethren of Basra– Remke Kruk (Leiden University)………………………………... 56 11. Panel: The Monotheistic Legacy in the West: Questioning the Secular– in Modern Humanism, Islam and Christianity 5 a. The Gnostic Temptation, the Mosaic Distinction. A Re- …………..n 6 on Monotheism and Secularism – Laurens ten Kate (Uni- versityflection of on Humanistic Hans Blumenberg’s Studies)…………….............................. and Jan Assman ’s Views... 66 b. The Secular Burden in the Dutch Development Sector Welmoet Boender (Utrecht University)………………………. 76 c. Response to Welmoet Boender en Laurens ten Kate – Henk Manschot (University of Humanistic Studies)…….. 85 – Journal of the Dutch-Flemish Levinas Society 16 (2011) 1 Levinas Society Journal of the Dutch- 12. The Teaching of Nasr Abu Zayd: Towards a Democratization of Teaching Sabry Emam (Cairo, Egypt/Utrecht)………………… 90 Flemish Levinas Society 13. Peter Derkx Mededelingen van de (University of– Humanistic Studies)………………………………………... 94 Levinas Studiekring 14. A Humanistic Interpretation of the Qur’an? – Nasr Abû Zayd (University of Humanistic Studies)…………….. 110 XVI, december 2011 15. PicturesRethinking of thethe ConferenceQur’ân: Towards a Humanistic Hermeneutics7 16.– Colofon 61 ISSN 1385-4739 – Jochum Damstra…………….. 15 ………………………………………………………………………. 1 Editorial Joachim Duyndam & Renée van Riessen By exception, the present issue of the Journal of the Dutch- Flemish Levinas Society (Mededelingen van de Levinas Stud- iekring), volume 16, 2011, is published in English. Covered includes contributions to the International Memorial Con- ferenceby the theme in Honour ‘Interreligious of Nasr Abu Dialogue’, Zayd, organized the volume by theat hand Uni- versity of Humanistic Studies in Utrecht, The Netherlands, on April 14-15, 2011. Although only a few of the conference theme of the memorial conference How Can a Humanistic Approachpapers are to explicitly Islam Be related Realized? to Levinas’ is in the thought, spirit theof Levinas central – – e-’ fore,philosophy the editors as it havecan be considered articulated it asjustifiable a ‘humanism to share of the presentother’ and variety ‘intercultural of interesting / interreligious papers with dialogue’. the Levinas- Ther minded scholarly audience of this Journal. Despite their different cultural and religious roots, Nasr Abu Zayd (1943- 2010) and Emmanuel Levinas (1906-1995) have their hu- manism of the other or should we say: humanism to the other in common, including their striving for peaceful dia- logue and careful interpretation.– – The editors are indebted to Coby van Pagée and Annelot de Wit for their assistance in editing this volume. Journal of the Dutch-Flemish Levinas Society 16 (2011) 2 Levinas Society Journal of the Dutch- Rereading the Qur’an: A Muslim’s Woman Flemish Levinas Society Perspective● Mededelingen van de Elham Manea1 Levinas Studiekring ‘It is the Qur’an that we have to deal with, if we are to succeed XVI, december 2011 in paving the path for a humanistic Islam. Qur’an has been treated as synonyms to God. It is as if we dared to question the nature of Qur’an, we are questioning our faith in God, and at ISSN 1385-4739 the same time we declare our rejection of Islam itself. Qur’an in this sense is the Church of Islam. Separating this church of Islam from state’s laws and jurisprudence is imperative; not only for the future of a humanistic Islam, but also for institut- ing legal gender equality. If there is one sphere that illustrates this statement in no compromising manner, it would be the private sphere of the family in Arab societies. The reason is straightforward; fami- ly laws, with the one exception of Tunisia, are justified and based on religious provisions! All of them! Perhaps this fact can clarify to a great extent the confusion that many here in Europe feel when approaching cosmopoli- tan Arab societies such as Egypt, Lebanon, or Syria. On the one hand, these states took drastic steps to modernize their legal structures after their independence; on the other hand, they left the religious provisions governing the family sphere untouched. They tried to codify some of these provi- remained religious, and thus inherently biased towards women.sions; making them more ‘friendly’ to women; but the basis Notice that I did not use the word Islamic provisions here. I said religious provisions. The reason is also surprising. Arab women are left to the laws of their respective religions to govern their family relations. A Syrian Orthodox, a Lebanese Maronite, or an Egyptian Copt who would like to divorce her ● This paper is adapted from a chapter husband will be subject to the religious laws set by their from Manea, Elham, Ich will nicht mehr respective churches. And these, just like their Islamic coun- schweigen: Der Islam, der Westen und die terparts, are not exactly gender friendly. This clarifies the Menschenrechte, Freiburg: Herder Verlag, t- 2009. tended in Damascus in mid summer 2007. The activists, 1 Elham Manea is an Associate Professor at representingjoke told to me a wide by Syrian spectrum women’ of NGOs activists of different in a dinner ideolog I ai- the Political Science Institute, Zürich Uni- cal backgrounds (Islamic, Christian, and secular) said while versity. She is author of several books and The Vatican and Arab countries disagree on every- novels. Her latest academic book will be published by Routledge, London, in Sum- thing. But when it comes to our rights (in international con- mer 2011 under the title: The Arab State ferences),laughing: “they miraculously agree and Women’s Rights: the Trap of the Author- refrained from modernizing their family laws and steering itarian Governance. them from their religious basis is the!” Why question have ArabI pose societies in a Journal of the Dutch-Flemish Levinas Society 16 (2011) 21 Levinas Society book that is due to be published this summer by Routledge in London. Answering it goes beyond the scope of this note. eted and how religious provisions are being applied, contribute greatly to the prob- lemBut howof women Qur’anic in Arabverses societies. are interpr No reformation of Islam is possible, in my opinion, without dealing with the gender question. And a real reformation has to acknowledge the shortcomings and limits of Islamic stipulations regarding women. Acknowledging that will pave the way for adopting positive and civil laws, that best protect the woman as a human equal to man in dignity and rights. In the next part, I will present how the safe boundary of thinking issue of women’s firstrights acknowledge has been constantly that there discussed is a problem in a and‘ tries to find a ’. Two examples of discourses will be presented, andthe the second denies that there is a problem to deal with, and solution through new interpretation of Qur’anic verses, their natural duty. In a second phase I will then try to step outinstead of that urges safe women boundary to accept and setGod’s the orders mode andfor asubmit counter to humanistic argument. Women’s rights: Talking from a Safe Boundary of Thinking Two discoursed can be discerned in discussing the issue of safe boundary of thinking’. Both argue that Islam respects women’s rights and haswomen’s always rights guaranteed in Islamic them; societies the problem from a ‘has mainly to do with the society that is interpreting‘ or implementing these rights. The problem has to do with the people themselves A Reformist Argument ’. The first discourse is espoused by Muslim reformers and scholars, who recognize that women are discriminated against within Islamic legal tradition and seek to find an en- lightened interpretation of Qur’anic verses.